Metallic vest-armor



(No Model.)

G. GREBE.

METALLIC VEST ARMOB.

Paten ted July' 1, 1884..

' ATTORNEY/O llnrran STATES HATENT rrrcra GEORGE GREBE, OF DE W'ITT,NEBRASKA.

METALLIC VEST-ARIWOR.

PECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 301,358, dated July 1,188%.

Application filed April 23, 1884.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE GREBE, of De WVitt, in the county of Salineand State of Nebraska, have invented certain new and useful Improvementsin Metallic Vest-Armor; and I do hereby declare that the following is afull, clear, and exact description of the invention,- which will enableothers skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use thesame, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to theletters of reference marked thereon, which form part of thisspecification.

My improvement relates to metallic waistcoats or armors to be worn uponthe person in like manner as an ordinary vest or waistcoat. It has forits object to supply a pro tective article of apparel for patrolmenwhile in the discharge of their duty, firemen, soldiers, policemen, andsuch like personages.

WVith this end in view the invention consists in such details ofconstruction and combination of parts as will hereinafter be distinctlypointed out and claimed.

Referring to the annexed drawings, in which like letters indicate likeparts, Figure 1 represents a perspective View of the front and backplates as they are united. and fastened upon the body of the wearer; andFig. 2 represents an inside perspective view of the front or breastplate, showing the connection with the waistband or strap of theback-straps, said figure illustrating the manner in which the frontplate is secured upon the body of the wearer when the back-plate is notworn or is dispensed with.

A represents the plate designed to be worn in front, which, as shown, isprovided with portions to a, that extend over and rest upon theshoulders of the wearer.

13 represents the back-plate, that is formed with corresponding shoulderportions, 2) b. The portions a a of the front plate are provided withopenings a, for the reception of studs or buttons 1) 011 theshoulder-pieces of B. The said openings a are enlarged at one end, so asto permit the head of the studs to be inserted through and their shanksthen slipped down, so as to prevent the parts from becoming separated.Secured to each side of the front plate, at near its lower end, arestraps c c, which (No model.)

buckle together at about the center of said plate, thus forming a bandor belt by which the parts can be drawn as tightly around the waist asdesired. The back-plate is provided with a small guide or holder, (7!,for holding the straps, as shown. When it is only desired to wear thefront plate, backstraps G are hooked in eyelets in the straps c 0, asshown, and crossed over the back in the man-- ner of suspenders, thesaid straps being provided at their other ends with hooks or studs, bywhich they are fastened in the openings in the shoulder-pieces.(See'Fig. 2.) By this means the same can be worn under the coat with asmuch comfort as an ordinary Vest, while at the same time the body isthoroughly protected from any assault that might be made on it.

It will be apparent that an article of this kind, which combines bothlightness and ease and comfort in its wear, will be found ex tremelyuseful and desirable to persons whose lives are in constant jeopardy. Itcan be made of any suitable material that is found to be the mosteffective and desirable.

I am well aware that a metallic mail or armor for covering the body, orthe body'and limbs, for protecting the same, is not new; but Iam notaware that it was ever known to construct a metallic armor or waistcoataccording to my present invention.

' Having thus described my invention, what I claim is- 1. In a metallicarmor, the combination, with the front plate formed with. the integralslotted shoulder-extensions a, and the backplate formed with theportions Z), having studs adapted to enter the slots in extensions a, ofthe waiststraps c a, substantially as shown and described.

2. In a metallic armor, the combination, with the front plate formedwith the slotted shoulder-extensions a,'of the waist-straps c 0, havingeyelets, and the back-straps (3, provided at their lower ends with hooksfor engaging said eyelets, and at their opposite or upper ends withstuds for insertion in the slots of the shoulder-extensions,substantially in the manner set forth and shown.

3. The combination, in a body-armor, of the front section having theshoulder-pieces made to lap beyond the shoulder, whereby the weight ofthe armor is sustained with the cross suspender-straps and thewaist-strap, said strap 5 being arranged in such manner as to be readilyadjusted to the body, substantially as described. In testimony that Iclaim the foregoing as my own I afiix my signature in presence of twowitnesses.

GEORGE GREBE.

Witnesses: 1

EDWARD E. ELLIs, 0. E. DUFFY.

